Manually Cleaning Print Cartridges
If the printer is used in a dusty environment, a small amount of debris may accumulate inside the case. This debris can include dust, hair, carpet, or clothing fibers. When it gets on the print cartridges and cradle, it can cause ink streaks and smudges on printed pages. Ink streaking is easily corrected by manually cleaning the cartridges and cradle.
Gathering Cleaning Supplies
You will need the following items to clean the print cartridges and cradle:
- Distilled or bottled water. Tap water contains contaminants that damage print cartridges.
- Cotton swabs or other soft, lint-free material that will not stick to the cartridges.
Be careful not to get ink on your hands or clothing as you clean.
Preparing to Clean
Remove the print cartridges from the printer before cleaning.
The print cartridges move to the center of the printer.
- Disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer.
- Remove the print cartridges and place them on a piece of paper with the ink nozzle plate facing up.
See the illustration in "Cleaning the Print Cartridges and Print Cartridge Cradle" for the location of the ink nozzle plate.
Do not leave the cartridges outside the printer for more than 30 minutes.
Caution! Do not touch the print cartridge ink nozzles or copper contacts. Do not remove the copper strips.
Cleaning the Print Cartridges and Print Cartridge Cradle
- Dip the end of a clean cotton swab into the distilled water and remove any excess water.
- Clean the face and edges of the first print cartridge with the swab, as shown in the following illustration.
1. Nozzle plate 2. Clean these areas
Repeat steps 1 and 2 above if fibers are still present.
- Repeat the cleaning process for the other print cartridge.
- Wipe the underside of the print cartridge cradle walls using clean, moistened cotton swabs.
Repeat this process until no ink residue appears on a clean swab.